Diaper pants and pad for same



April 24, 1951 c. F. MCKHANN AL 2,549,982

DIAPER PANTS AND PAD FOR SAME Filed Nov. 1'7, 1948 INVENTORJ. CHARL Es f". NIF/MNN BY GEO/v65 A. BRIG/VON? ATTORNEY-5' Patented Apr. 24, 1951 DIAPER PANTS AND PAD FOR SAME Charles F. McKhann, Bratenahl, and George A. Bricmont, Berea, Ohio, assignors to Diapette, Inc., Bratenahl,-- hio, a. corporation of Ohio Application November 17, 1943, Serial No. 60,482 1 claim." (01. 128-290) This invention relates to improvements in diaper pants and a pad for use in the same.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide improved diaper pants to be used generally on infants wherein .the pants provide a holding device of novel character for an absorbent pad of--novel shape, thus providing a device rendering it easy to care for an infant, to keep the infant comfortable, and to avoid rashes or-other irritations around the perineum and associated parts.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a novel combination of diaper pants and an absorbent pad therefor whereby a large reservoir is provided at the point remote from the urine-genital parts of the infant with means for providing a wicking action to transmit liquid from the infant to the reservoir.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a pouch of form tapering downwardly on the outside of the pants both forwardly and backwardly of the infant and a pad of complementary shape which is prevented by coaction with the pouch from sliding down and bunching up between the legs of the infant.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the accompanying drawings and description, and the essential features thereof will be set forth in the appended claim.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of a pair of diaper pants embodying our invention;

Fig. 2 is a rear elevational view of the same;

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional View taken along the line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of one type of pad adapted to be used in the device of Figs. 1, 2, and 3, while Fig. 5 is a view of another type of pad and method of making the same.

In Figs. 1, 2, and 3, we have shown a pair of diaper pants which are somewhat similar to pants disclosed in our copending application Serial No. 48,632, filed September 10, 1948, now abandoned, to which reference may be had for a more compl te description of the broad use of the invention.

The device shown here when laid out fiat would be generally of I-form having broad waist encircling portions Id and I! at opposite ends of the device having overlapping ears HM and H0, which may be secured together around the waist of the infant by any suitable securing means such as the safety pins i2 indicated.

The central portion of the device is narrow as indicated at l3 to pass through the crotch of the infant. This device thus provides holes I4 and I5 at opposite sides through which the legs of the infant extend when the diaper is fas- A moisture-proof pouch I6 is provided on the outer side of the garment and extending from approximately the waistline of the infant in front to a point well above the anus'in the rear. Generally the basic garment will be made of suitable cloth and the moistureproof pouch will be made of a Vinylite plastic or rubber-like material or any other suitable material preferably one which may be stitched to the base garment. All of these parts are properly sewed together but that sewing it not shown in the drawings for the sake of clearness. There is an opening I! provided adjacent the perineum of the wearer and preferably the moistureproof material of the pouch is folded about the edges of the basic cloth member around the perimeter of the opening I? as indicated at I8 in Fig. 3; An absorbent pad I9 is provided in the moistureproof pouch to receive body discharges from the infant.

As clearly seen in Figs. 1 and 2, the pouch i6 is considerably wider at the front end lfia and at the rear end [6b than it is at the crotch portions l 60. A pad of double wedge form as shown in Fig. i or Fig. 5 is placed inside of the pouch It as indicated at I9 in Fig. 3. Referring to Fig. 4, the pad I9 is of a width at its front end 2% and at its rear end 2312 and at its central portion Zllc generally of approximately the same dimensions as Mia, [61), and IE0 respectively.

Several things result from the above construction. The pad 19' is obviously narrower and less bulky where is passes through the crotch of the infant. At the same time the wide front and rear ends 20a and 20b respectively, provide a large reservoir for absorbing liquid. The pad I9 is of such a character that it will provide a wicking action to transmit the moisture from the points adjacent 230 to the ends of the pad. At the same time the fact that the ends 25a and 2% fit into the wide portions Mia. and I6?) and above the narrower portions of the moistureproof pouch, prevent the ends of the pad from slipping downwardly. In other words, the corresponding double wedge form of the pad 3 and the moistureproof pouch provide an automatic holding device whereby the pad is always held in position.

While the pad IQ of Fig. 4 may be molded or cut to the form shown, in Fig. 5 we have shown another manner of forming a pad usable in this type of device. Here the pad I9" may be formed from a block. or sheet 2i generally rectangular in form. A long strip of gauze-like? material 22 is then wrapped around the block 2! beginning at one end with little or no tension upon the gauze: as it is wound at that point. As the winding progresses toward the central portion of the pad,

the tension is gradually tightened on the gauzelike strip 50 that the pad is gradually constricted to become narrower and narrower to the central portion of the device as indicated at 23 in the drawings. Obviously, the pad of Fig. 5 is' only half formed and the winding will continue to the right hand end of the block 2 I, the tension being gradually lessened. allowing the pad. to become- Wider and wider untilthe right hand end is of full width as was the left hand end Where the. winding. began. The pad of IQ" will fit in the device. shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, in the same manner as the pad IQ of Fig. 4. l

The pads f9 and I9 may be of any suitable absorbent material and will generally be of cotton, cellulose, cellucotton, or other similar material. Obviously, the material for forming the pad of 4 must. have the ability to hold itself togather in the shape there shown either as molded or? as cut outv of sheet material. The material of --Fig. 5 may be less strongly .;held together and may be any suitable material'which will remain in a block or sheet or bate long enough to be wrapped by thegauze-like material 22. To repeat, the pads shown in Figs. 4 and 5 are selfsupporting; that is, the ends will be held up by engagement with the sides of the converging pockets, and the pads wilt maintain their shape by virtue of the material-used (Fig; 4)., or by virtue of th gauze-like wrapping (Fig. 5).

What we claim is:

A pad for use in diaper pants comprising absorbent material of a length adapted to pass through the crotch. of a wearer and to extend partly up the front and back of the wearer, a

cloth wrappingv about said absorbent material,

and said wrapping compressing said material to a greater degree the midportion of said pad than. at the ends thereof.

CHARLES F. McKHANN. GEORGE. A. BRICMO-NT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,914,596 Diehl June 20', 1933' 2,004,088 Alsop June I1, 1935 2,444,973 Best July 1 3; 1948 234 50359 Rickerson Sept; 28', I948 

